


Therapy

by Damiens_Dream_Daddy



Category: Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator
Genre: Canon Trans Character, Gen, Lucien is a good kid really, Mild Transphobia, Teenage Drama, Teenage Rebellion, Therapy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-12
Updated: 2017-10-12
Packaged: 2019-01-16 10:45:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12341127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Damiens_Dream_Daddy/pseuds/Damiens_Dream_Daddy
Summary: Why Lucien has had enough of therapy. Set a few months before the events of Dream Daddy.





	Therapy

**Author's Note:**

> I've wanted to write this since playing Dream Daddy for the first time. Based on my friend's experiences of therapy.

“Whenever you’re ready, Lucien.”

Lucien just rolled his eyes again and stared at a squirrel out of the window. He hated this. Why did the school have to over react like that? It was only a small dumpster fire…

Well, okay, he knew he had some issues and truth be told he’d really like to work through them. Maybe it would be a good idea to find out why he had these compulsive, reckless ideas sometimes. But what he couldn’t stand was the therapy. He was here for one reason and one reason only. His Dad.

The school had been very clear that if he got suspended one more time this semester, then he would be expelled. He didn’t care personally. He hated school! If they wanted to suspend him next semester, then they could go ahead! The students were dumb and the teachers were dumber. They seemed to get a kick out of humiliating and degrading their students. He hated the way you were treated like a lazy, delinquent if you didn’t know what you wanted to do for the rest of your life, while at the same time you had to put up your hand to go to the bathroom!

But school was important to his Dad. When they first moved here, Damien had chosen a school for Lucien based on their anti-discrimination policies, art programs and their gender non-specific dress codes (aka, boys could wear make-up and girls weren’t shamed for being hot in the summer.) He wanted Lucien to thrive and to have the opportunities that he didn’t have. Lucien knew that his Dad would be disappointed in him if he got expelled. He probably had the most understanding, diplomatic Dad in Maple Bay, but that didn’t mean that he couldn’t tell when he’d hurt his Dad. If Lucien got himself expelled after the amount of times Damien had stuck his neck out to defend him and keep him safe- Lucien didn’t even want to know what that guilt felt like.

The principle had offered him a choice- a month of therapy or a suspension (that would most likely lead to the school governors voting in favour of his expulsion.)

So here he was. Sat here, legs crossed and arms folded in on an uncomfortable sofa, avoiding eye contact with the stuffy, grey man sat opposite him.

“Lucien,” He said again, in that soft voice therapists insisted on using, as if you were a deer in the forest that would run away if startled just slightly. “I don’t mean to press you, but this is our third session.”

“So?”

“So… Don’t you think it’s time we talked through what happened?”

“No.”

The school could force him to go to therapy, but they couldn’t force him to make progress.

“Why did you start the fire?”

“It was an accident!” Lucien protested.

“Okay. But why did it happen?”

“I just… I don’t know why it happened. We were just smoking behind the dumpsters, then I saw this creepy kid picture on an old juice box and Mable dared me to burn it. Things escalated from there. Okay?”

“Do you often do things when dared to?”

“Sometimes. If it seems like fun.”

“And do you think it’s fun to burn things?”

“No! Look, it was an accident and I’m sorry. I’m not a maniac!”

“No one is accusing you of that, Lucien,” The therapist said softly. “But your track record shows a lot of aggressive behaviour.”

“So?”

“So, it’s not unreasonable to suspect that you may have anger issues.”

“So?”

“So, since we’re both here. Don’t you think we might as well try and find out where that comes from?”

Lucien turned his head, looking at the therapist for the first time.

“You get paid whether I talk or not,” He said bluntly. “Why do you care?”

“Because that’s my job,” The man said shrugging. “I’m paid to care. No-one is forcing you to be here- “

“Yes, they are.”

“Well, alright. But you are here now. And I would like to talk about your anger.”

Lucien smirked, more to himself than the therapist. “Okay then, what about my anger?”

“Tell me about your home life?”

Lucien scoffed. There it was. The first question that always come out of their stuffy, smug mouths.

“My home life is fine.”

“Do you live with your parents?”

“I live with my Dad.”

“I see. Do you still see your mother?”

“I don’t have a mother.”

There was the traditional pause here as the therapist thought about how to proceed.

“Did she pass away?” He asked, gently.

“Nope. She never existed.”

Now the brief moment of confusion.

“Did you have a second father or some sort of secondary guardian?”

“Nope, just me and Dad.”

“I see.” He scribbled something down on his pad. “You know Lucien, it’s not very common for single fathers to adopt a child on their own. Did you ever feel isolated or left out because of your background?”

“Ha-ha, I’m sure I might have been,” Lucien said, deliberately mocking the therapist. “But I’m not adopted.”

“… I’m sorry, Lucien. I’m not sure I understand.”

Lucien paused here, wondering if he was willing to indulge the other person. Truthfully, he didn’t feel like he should, but since he was going to be stuck here for a while longer, and since there was always the unlikely chance that this therapist was going to be different, Lucien decided to be honest. He always felt like he was betraying his Dad at this moment, even though the first time he had gone into therapy, Damien had encouraged him to talk about his backstory, since he thought it might help.

“My Dad had me.”

“I’m sorry.”

“My Dad gave birth to me.”

They stared at each other for a long while.

“I’m sorry?” The therapist said again, looking completely bewildered. “I don’t think I understand. Did he use a surrogate?”

“No, he gave birth to me, like I said,” Lucien said, trying desperately not to roll his eyes again.

“Lucien…” The therapist said slowly, as if he were explaining where babies came from to a three-year-old. “Men don’t give birth.”

“Yeah well, my Dad did,” Lucien said, in a matter of fact tone of voice. He realised he would have to go into more detail. There was no way he was going to get there on his own. “My Dad’s trans.”

“Trans?” The therapist asked. “He… he feels he is a woman?”

“No!” Lucien said angrily. “People thought he was a woman when he was born. But he’s a man. He’s my Dad.”

The therapist paused and began going over his notes, eyebrows raised. After a while he sighed and tapped his pen against his pad.

“And how do you feel about that?” He asked.

“…I’m fine,” Lucien said, shrugging. “It isn’t really about me.”

“Well everything your parent does affects you, doesn’t it?”

“On some level,” Lucien said, noting that the therapist had stopped saying ‘Dad.’ “But Dad did what was best for him and that doesn’t affect me. Only him. It’s part of who he is.”

“I see.” There was another moment of silence. “Was it hard losing your Mom?”

The hair on the back on Lucien’s neck stood up.

“I think we’re done here,” He said, grabbing his jacket.

“Lucien, wait!” The therapist stood up as well, reaching out to grasp Lucien gently. “It’s important that we talk about these things.”

“I’ve already talked about them,” Lucien said, shrugging him away. “I’ve talking through everything I need to talk about with my Dad, everything else is none of your business.”

Lucien stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. That’s what it always came down. He knew exactly where this was going. Just like every other therapist, this ass-clown was going to try and blame his anger on his Dad. He would tell him that he resented Damien and that he missed his Mother. He didn’t miss his mother, he never had a mother, people just thought he did. He hadn’t lost anyone. When Damien transitioned he became visibly happier and healthily, almost overnight. Lucien didn’t understand why people were so quick to criticise that.

And whenever he’d finally been able to convince a therapist that Damien wasn’t the problem, they’d start on his “other Dad.” Lucien didn’t give a damn about some stranger, he’d never even met and didn’t know why people expected him to. If Damien wanted him to know about this stranger, then he would have told him by now. He trusted his Dad and he would trust his judgement.

Lucien buttoned up the coat, the late spring clouds forming up ahead. He hoped the Principle would think it enough that he attended at least most of his sessions. He couldn’t deny that she was a fairly reasonable woman when it came down to it. At the very least she was understanding- although he hoped he wouldn’t have to go into too many details with her.

The teen started the short walk back home to the cul-de-sac, his father’s smiling, comforting face in his mind and heart.

**Author's Note:**

> Please follow our tumblr :):
> 
> https://damiensdreamdaddy.tumblr.com/
> 
> And please leave your kudos and feedback. Suggestions for future fics are always encouraged.


End file.
